Tuesday 28 January 2014

Pre-Raphaelite Themed MLA 2015 in Vancouver

Of major interest to us in Canada is MLA 2015 (Modern Language Association), The Pre-Raphaelites: The Ecological and the Oceanic. This will take place next January in Vancouver. A Call for Papers has been sent out:

MLA 2015, Vancouver, Canada
January 8-11, 2015
Deadline: March 15, 2014


1. Papers are sought for a session co-sponsored by the William Morris Society and the Old Norse Discussion Group on any aspect of William Morris and his associates in relation to Old Norse topics: literary, linguistic, artistic, biographical or political, ranging from pre-historic origins to the present day. Please send abstracts and C.V. by March 15, 2014 to bryane@mst.edu and florence-boos@uiowa.edu.

2. "The Pre-Raphaelites: The Ecological and the Oceanic" The William Morris Society will also sponsor a panel on "The Pre-Raphaelites: The Ecological and the Oceanic."  For this we seek papers on the Pre-Raphaelites, Morris and ecological concerns, the environment, ‘green’ politics, and/or oceanic journeys, Morris’s influence in Asia and Oceania, or trans-Pacific approaches to Pre-Raphaelite studies. Please send abstracts for proposals by March 15, 2014 to florence-boos@uiowa.edu.

Sunday 26 January 2014

An Anniversary and the Week in Twitter

Today is the 100th anniversary of Jane Morris's death. There have been lectures, portrait exhibitions and the internet is a-buzz with tributes to the remarkable stunner, muse, wife, mother and lover.

On this day in London, Peter Faulkner is giving a talk on Jane at the William Morris Gallery in London. The gallery is also looking for more volunteers to help them out in their many wonderful activities; they're holding open days on January 31 and February 1.

Last Thursday Jan Marsh also gave a talk on Jane Morris at the National Portrait gallery. Their display, Janey Morris: Pre-Raphaelite Muse, continues until May 11... in case you happen to find yourself in London!

... and you can enjoy Jane, along with Rossetti, fighing aliens in a graphic novel. Finally! Find out more here.

And from Twitter this week:

~ The William Morris Society (UK) is looking for a project manager. It sounds intriguing. Read more here.

~ Jeremy Deller's Morris-inspired English Magic exhibition comes to the William Morris Gallery until March 30, after which it travels to Bristol and Margate. Watch this video on BBC for more.

~ And, a final Jane Morris tribute, a poem by Sarah Doyle, inspired by Morris's claim that he couldn't paint her, but he loved her.

You can keep up to date on what's happening out there by following us on Twitter. Or just check back in here!

Sunday 19 January 2014

Two More Events this Winter

Click on our Future Events page to learn more about the next two events for Winter 2014.

First, on February 12, Diane Waggoner (National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC) will give a lecture on Photography and Pre-Raphaelitism.

Then, on March 22, it's time for our annual Morris birthday celebration, which will follow a fascinating day-long symposium: Morris and History: historical transformations in William Morris's poetry, prose and design.

We hope you'll join us!

A Visit to the Clay Room and the Week in Twitter

Several WMSC members gathered last Wednesday evening at the Clay Room on the Danforth to let the Morris inspiration flow! From what I've seen done in the past, the final pieces will be stunning. Hands-on events like this are always great fun. Note that the pictures on the left illustrate unfinished pieces. And when they're glazed and fired, they're transformed. I hope the artists will not be too modest and that they'll send in their finished works for us to see!

And now for the week on Twitter:

~ Standen House is in the midst of redecorating their drawing room. What an impressive process! Check it out here.

~ Hornbake Library (University of Maryland) tweeted a picture of a postcard from William Morris expressing satisfaction for the binding of a book.

~ One of our favourite blogs, the Pre-Raphaelite Sisterhood, posted an archive of #WombatFriday happenings for 2013. No, you're not dreaming. For an explanation and lots of lovely pictures, visit this link.

~ Cartwright Hall Art Gallery (Bradford, UK) is mounting a Rossetti exhibition on portraits of Jane Morris. More details here.

~ Read the thrilling details of how priceless furniture at Kelmscott Manor was saved from recent flooding in the UK.

~ Check out all the great stuff happening at the William Morris Gallery!